


Always

by starry_mist



Category: Hudson & Rex (TV)
Genre: Charah - friendship, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-09
Packaged: 2021-03-14 04:29:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29289873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starry_mist/pseuds/starry_mist
Summary: Episode tag for 1x07 Trial and Error
Relationships: Charlie Hudson/Sarah Truong
Comments: 37
Kudos: 20





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I know I have two other stories on the go, but this one's actually been mostly written for a while and I figured it was time to finish it. It's likely to be 4 or 5 chapters in all.

“Where’s Sarah?” Charlie asked, eyes searching the scene outside the lab in the aftermath of the hostage situation.

“She rode to the hospital with Allison,” replied Joe.

Charlie nodded. Of course she would have gone with her friend. He headed to his car, followed closely by Rex.

Later that evening, after speaking with Darryl and Helen and finishing his preliminary report, Charlie was ready to head out for the day. He hadn’t seen Sarah return to the building at any point. Pulling out his phone, he sent her a text.

_Hey Sarah._

Her response came fairly quickly.

_Hi._

_Are you still at the hospital?_

_Yeah._

_How is Allison?_

_She’ll be okay._

_How are you?_

_I’m fine._

_Are you sure?_

He waited. No response came. He reached out again.

_You left your car at the Cooper-Weiss lab, didn’t you?_

_Yeah, I did._

_Okay. I’m coming to pick you up._

A minute passed by, then two, as Charlie silently hoped for a response.

_Thank you._

_Always. Be there in 15._


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's super short, but it was a natural break. Will likely have the next (much longer) bit posted later today.

Charlie arrived at the hospital and checked his phone again. He saw that another message from Sarah had arrived while he had been driving.

_I’m out front._

He parked the car. “Be right back,” he said to Rex, who cocked his head to the side in acknowledgment.

Climbing out of the car, Charlie walked towards the front sliding doors of the hospital. He could see Sarah hunched over on a bench outside the door, and quietly approached her. She looked up as she heard him coming and managed a weak smile.

“Hey,” Charlie said softly upon seeing his friend’s red-rimmed eyes and tear-stained cheeks. He knelt down and took both of her hands in his. “You want to get out of here?”

Sarah nodded in response, standing, allowing Charlie to guide her to his car with a hand at the small of her back. He opened the passenger side door for her and she silently took her seat.

Seeming to sense her distress, Rex poked his head between the front seats and made a small whimpering noise. Sarah absently reached for the big dog, stroking his fur slowly.

Charlie instinctively headed for his house. He realized along the way that he hadn’t actually asked if she wanted to come over, but sensed that she wouldn’t want to be alone right now. Sarah quickly recognized the familiar route and didn’t protest, not ready to go home to an empty house after the day’s events.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You get a good long one today, complete with the requested couch cuddles. Last chapter is nearly ready, more soon!

Arriving at Charlie’s house, Sarah immediately went to the couch and sat, hugging her knees to her chest. Charlie carefully took a seat next to her, tentatively reaching out to place a hand on her shoulder.

The dam broke. Sarah began to tremble as the tears came again. Charlie hesitated a moment then gathered her into his arms. She buried her face in his shirt as she let out the emotion she’d been trying to hold in all day.

“Hey,” Charlie said softly. “It’s okay.” He held her close, grateful for her safety.

Several minutes passed and her shaking began to subside. Letting out a shaky breath, she looked up at him.

“I’m sorry,” she started.

“You have nothing to be sorry for. I’m just glad you’re safe.”

“Yeah,” she replied. “Yeah, me too. It’s been a day.”

Rex trotted over to his human friends and look at them with what appeared to be a mixture of curiosity and concern.

“That it has,” agreed Charlie. “Hey, um, can I get you something to drink? I probably have some sort of tea, definitely coffee, possibly some cocoa?” He got up and headed to the kitchen.

“Um, hot cocoa actually sounds amazing right now,” replied Sarah, wiping at her face. Rex hopped up into Charlie’s vacated spot on the couch and nudged her with his head. She laughed and ruffled his fur.

Charlie returned with two mugs. “Really buddy? I wasn’t even gone that long.” Rex looked up at him and, as if in understanding, climbed over Sarah’s lap to the other side of the couch. Charlie smiled at the dog as he sat back down.

“Thank you,” Sarah said, taking the mug he offered.

“Always,” replied Charlie. “Can I get you anything else? You want to watch something on TV?”

“Um, sure,” she replied. “Something light.”

He turned on the TV, and flipped through the channels, settling on a rerun of a sitcom that Rex seemed to approve of with a bark. They sipped their drinks in easy silence.

Charlie noticed another tear slide slowly down Sarah’s cheek. “Hey.” He placed a hand on her shoulder. “What is it?”

She sniffed. “It’s a lot of things, I guess. A little overwhelmed?”

“Well, you did go through a traumatic experience today. You weren’t expecting to walk into a hostage situation.”

“Yeah,” she replied, lost in thought. “It’s not just that, though. I mean, that’s a large part of it.”

Charlie waited patiently for her to continue.

“You know I haven’t seen Allison since we were back in Toronto? I’ve been out here nearly a year now, she’s been here almost as long, and you’d think we’d have visited, but we haven’t. Not until today. I’d never even met her husband.” She turned to face Charlie, voice wavering slightly. “I was so worried I’d be meeting him for the first time to tell him she was gone.”

He placed a reassuring hand on her back again, seeing the fresh tears that had come to her eyes.

“I always had an excuse about being busy with work,” Sarah continued. “But she said a few things today that got me thinking…I’ve been doing that for a long time. Even when we were in school, when we got to the home stretch, I shut everyone and everything else out. And eventually, we drifted apart.”

“But that happens,” said Charlie.

“I know. I know, it’s just…this is still what I do. I throw myself completely into work to avoid thinking about…” She paused a moment, trying to find the right words. “I’ve mentioned to you before that it’s hard for me, going home to an empty house. I think I spend more time at work than I do at home because I do miss having someone else around, but also because I don’t want to acknowledge that, outside of work, I really don’t have much of a life.” She let out a weak laugh. “That sounds ridiculous, but it’s true. I feel alone but I also don’t seem to remember how to reach out. I’m sorry, I’m not making any sense.”

“No, I think I get what you mean,” replied Charlie thoughtfully. “When I moved back here after things fell apart with my marriage, I didn’t know anyone. I hadn’t kept in touch with any old friends. I was sort of drifting too, throwing myself into work to cover the loneliness. When I found Rex…I guess he sort of filled some of that hole for me.”

“Maybe I do need a Rex,” Sarah laughed softly.

“Well, I know I said everyone needs a Rex. But you’re definitely welcome to share this one. He seems to like having you around,” Charlie nodded at the big dog who had laid his head on Sarah’s lap during their conversation.

“I’m glad I have his seal of approval,” she said with a small smile. “Seriously though. Having him in there today, knowing I had a line of communication to you…I didn’t feel quite as helpless.”

Charlie gave her a look of surprise. “Helpless is not a word I would ever use to describe you. Look at everything you did today. You kept everyone in check, you stood up to Darryl when you had to, to get Allison the help she needed. You took charge in a terrifying situation that you didn’t ask to be in.” He paused. “Sarah, you’re one of the strongest people I know, whether you see it or not.”

She blushed slightly, speechless for the moment as she considered his words.

“Really.” Charlie took her hand in his. “And it’s okay to feel overwhelmed by it all. This wasn’t something you deal with every day. But you carried yourself through it, you kept yourself and everyone else safe.”

The tears that had been forming in Sarah’s eyes threatened to spill over again. Charlie noticed her shudder.

“Come here,” he said, pulling her close again. “Really, it’s okay. Let it out.”

After a while her tears subsided. “Hey,” she started, almost a whisper. “Thanks for always having my back.”

“You know I always will,” he replied, looking into her eyes. “Feel any better?”

“Actually, yeah.” She really did, feeling a little more relaxed in his gentle embrace.

“See? A friendly dog, a hot beverage, a shoulder to cry on. It’s all part of the service here at Chez Hudson.”

Sarah gave a small laugh. “Good company too.” She looked up at him. “I mean it. I should probably get home though.”

“Are you sure?” He hesitated a moment. “You’re more than welcome to stay here. I mean, if you don’t want to be alone, Rex and I are happy to take the couch. I know how scary it can be after an experience like that.”

“I…” she trailed off. “No, no. I appreciate the offer but I think I need to be in the comfort of my own bed tonight.

“Okay,” he replied, understanding. “Look, how about I take you home, then I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning and we can go get your car? I’ll buy breakfast.”

Sarah flashed him a smile that finally reached her eyes. “You’re on.”


	4. Chapter 4

Charlie parked the car in Sarah’s driveway and got out to walk her to the door. She couldn’t help but feel touched by the small but meaningful gesture.

“Charlie?” she said quietly, turning back to him after unlocking the door.

He met her eyes. She seemed to hesitate a moment, then closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. He returned the gesture, arms coming around her in a gentle embrace, content to let her take the time she needed.

Breaking apart, Sarah looked up at him with a smile that almost reached her eyes.

“Goodnight,” she said softly.

“Goodnight.”

She took his hand and briefly squeezed it before turning to head inside, watching from the window as he drove away.

Heading upstairs, Sarah dressed for bed, when her phone rang.

“Hey, Thomas…Yeah, I just got in. Another long day at the office…I’m heading to bed. Sure…Sure, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Goodnight.”

Ending the call, she stared at the phone a moment. She wasn’t up to talking about the events of the day again, when it would only worry him needlessly. She’d tell him tomorrow.

She was about to place the phone on its charger when she noticed a new text message. It was from Charlie.

_Hey Sarah, I just got in. I hope you sleep well tonight. Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything, okay? Doesn’t matter what time, I’m always here._

Sarah smiled at her friend’s heartfelt words, and typed out a response.

_Thank you, Charlie._

His response came a moment later.

_Always._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First one to get the Always reference gets...well, I have nothing to offer. Bragging rights?


End file.
